Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-03-02
The Haunted Room.


pronounced nyther) young nor old,
and wearing at my belt the scalps of
many a pale face audience. One
night l reached Erie the pleasant just
as the clocks in the Lord Mayors
castle struck twenty-one. 1t was Bit
ter, biting, singing cold, and there
was no ambulance at the station,
while there was good hotel there. l
went in and registered, and a man of
commanding presence, tailor built
clothes and brown beard of most re-
fined culture, followed me, and under
my plebian scrawl, made the register
luminous with his patrician cognomen.
l stood a little in awe of this majestic
being, about as little rs l usually
stand in the presence of any majestic
creature, and when in deep bass,
commanding voice he ordered room
l had a great mind-something that l
always carry with me when l travel
to 60 out and get him one. The gen.
tlemanly and urbane night clerk, who
also seemed deeply impressed-as is
the habit of the night clerk-with
the gentleman's responsible to any
amount toot on shawmbel, said he was
sorry but he had but one vacant room
and it contained but one bed. "Still,"
he said, as before a man who was
bound to stand for his house if he
hadn't bed in it, cit was a very
wide bed, very wide and quite long.
Two gentlemen could sleep in it quite
comfortably, and if" But the Com
manding Being at my side said that
was quite altogether out of the ques-
tion entirely. Quite. He was sorry
for the-here he looked at me, hesitat-
ed, but finally said-gentleman, but
He couldn't share his room with him.
He was sorry for the-gentleman and
hoped that he might find comfortable
lodgings, but He couldn't permit him
to occupy even portion of His bed.
Then the clerk begged his pardon,
and was sorry, and all that, but this
other gentleman had registered first,
and it was for him to say what dispo-
sition should be made of this lonely
room and solitary bed. l hastened to
assure the majestic being that it was
all right; that he was welcome to two
thirds of the room, all the looking.
glass and one-half of the bed. "No,"
he said very abruptly, II will sit here
by the stove and sleep in a chair. l
thank you, sir, but l would not sleep
with my own brother. l prefer a
room to myself" l meekly told him
that l didn't know what kind of a
man his brother was, but no doubt he
did, and therefore | must conclude
that his brother wasn't fit man to
sleep with. But his brother was out
of the question, and if he wanted part
of my couch he might have it and
welcome, and | would agree not to
think of his brother. mo, SIR" he
said, II will sleep in no mans bed"
l said wouldn't either, if wasn't
sleepy, but when / was sleepy, didn't
care I'd sleep with the King of Eng.
land or the President, and wouldn't
care a cent who knew it.
Well, went to bed. curled up
under the soft, blankets, and heard
the wind shrek and wall and whistle
and yell-how like creation the wind
can blow in Erie--and as the night
grew colder every minute, / fell asleep
and dreamed that heaven was just
forty-eight miles from Dunkirk.
About 2:30 or 3 o'clock there came a
laundering rap at the door, and with
a vague, half waking impression in
my dream that somebody from the
other place was trying to get in,
said:
"What is it Z"
at is l, answered splendid voice,
which / recognized at once. II am
the gentleman who came on the train
with you"
"Yes," l said, "and what is the $
matter? ?"
The splendid voice was a trife
humble as it replied:
IL have changed my mind about
sleeping with another man." v
$50 have l |" howled, so joyous g
ly that the very winds laughed in
merry echo. $50 have / F! I wouldn't s
get out of this warm bed to open that u
door for my own brother !"
l will close this story here. If /
should write the language that went
down that dim, cold hall outside my ''
door you wouldn't print it. And next /.
I went skipping downstairs II
as fresh as rose, and saw that ma
estic being knotted up in hard arm -
,hair looking hundred years old; I n
said:
Better is poor and wise child
han an old and foolish king, who - :,
xnoweth not how to be admonished. "
For out of prison he cometh to reign